Scholes and Butt raise the stakes against Lisandro Martínez | OneFootball

The verbal war between Paul Scholes and Lisandro Martínez added a new chapter after the Manchester derby. Despite United’s resounding 2-0 victory over City, the Red Devils legend once again took aim at the Argentine defender, this time joined by Nicky Butt, with statements that reignited the controversy.

Before the derby, Scholes and Butt had mocked Martínez’s physique and claimed that Erling Haaland “would pick him up and run with him,” while also calling for the return of Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire. However, the course of the match was completely different: Licha was one of the standout performers, neutralized the Norwegian—who failed to get a shot on target—and received all the applause from Old Trafford.

After the match, the world champion responded both on and off the pitch. First with ironic gestures towards his critics and then with direct statements: “He can say whatever he wants. If he wants to say something to me, he can come wherever,” the Argentine said, not shying away from the confrontation.

Far from backing down, Scholes doubled down on social media and later in public statements. “When someone gets so angry about something said in the media… damn, grow up,” Butt fired, while the former midfielder added, “If what people say affects you, you shouldn’t play for a big club.”

Even so, Scholes had to acknowledge the defender’s performance: he described his game as “brilliant” and even hinted, with irony, that the criticism might have been part of the motivation. “This game usually comes back to bite you when you talk too much,” he concluded.

It’s not the first time the Ginger has targeted Lisandro Martínez. He had already criticized him even after a serious injury, claiming that “he’s not good enough to win the Premier League,” a phrase the Argentine answered without holding back. This time, once again, Licha chose the same path: to respond where it hurts most—on the pitch.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.